The Love in the Scientist
by MadDelight
Summary: Alcohol loosens the lips and heightens the passions of our favorite FBI Agent and Forensic Anthropologist. Spoilers through the Fourth Season.
1. Prologue: The Love in the Scientist

Disclaimer:** Bones originally belongs to Kathy Reichs, but is currently under the great care of Fox, Hart, Deschanel, and Boreanaz.**

**------**

**Prologue: **

She wasn't a cold fish or dry and boring like bones. Brennan had a heart, and it beat with love and pain just like everybody else. It was just sealed away, behind logic and reason. Her heart protected itself from abandonment and pain. But she was still capable of love. Temperance Brennan had a heart that could love.

---

Another shot of liquor. Another paper cup smashed. Booth grinned lazily at her, and she couldn't help but smile back. Liquor loosened the lips and heightened attraction. Those may be the facts, but Brennan was never not in control of her actions, even with copious amounts of alcohol in her system. She could hold her liquor.

Booth placed a hand on her thigh, his palm warm through the fabric of her pants. She returned his grin. Their eyes met-- icy blue melded with warm brown and the rest of the world faded away.

At least, for him it did. Seeley Booth did not have a heart that was walled off by logic and reason. He loved openly and followed his gut. That was just Booth.

She was logic, and he was feeling. But above all, they were professional. They may blur the line but never crossed it. Booth and Brennan-- they were partners. They worked together to catch the bad guys. They always denied the chemistry between them. Many had seen it coming, maybe even them. But still, they were who they were. Did opposites really attract? Perhaps with a bit of liquor and a spark of electricity.

So how did it come to this?

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**So, what do you think?**

**writing the first chapter as we speak.**


	2. Mornin Bones

Disclaimer:** Bones originally belongs to Kathy Reichs, but is currently under the great care of Fox, Hart, Deschanel, and Boreanaz.**

**Thanks for the story alerts : )**

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She awoke feeling warm and content, though her head was slightly pounding. She felt a broad, bare chest against her palm. Wait...

Booth grinned at her, his brown eyes caring. "Mornin' Bones." He drawled, his voice still raspy from sleep.

"Good... morning..." She sat straight up and surveyed their compromising position. She couldn't remember exactly what had happened last night. Booth's calloused hand was rubbing her bare arm as she tried to think, to piece together the events that had led them here. She shook her head. Surely she should remember. But Booth's touch was distracting.

"Booth, please." She moved her arm, catching her partner's eyes.

He was happy, ridiculously so. His grin was more cocky than usual, and his eyes gleamed with affection.

"Going so soon? C'mon Bones, it's too early for work." He pointed towards the clock. Booth was right it was too early for work, being only five am.

Brennan flopped back onto the pillows and ran her hands through her hair. The night was completely lost to her. Compartmentalized and put away in the deep reaches of her mind along with other memories.

Booth leaned in towards her. "You okay, Bones?" His eyes filled with concern.

She nodded. "I believe so. Although my circadian rhythm must be off, because I am never awake so soon before work unless something is on my mind."

He groaned. "Don't get all scientific on me. It's too early in the morning for that."

"But Booth, I am a scien--" Her sentence was cut off by Booth's warm lips on hers. She started to push him away, but lost sight of that once his tongue slipped into her mouth. She found that against her better reasoning, she was kissing her partner back. They kissed lazily for a few minutes, before breaking apart to catch their breath.

Booth smiled, happiness flooding his features. Brennan meant to complain, but all that came out of her mouth was a soft sigh. Something was wrong with her logical reasoning this morning.

"Well, since we're awake, I'll make us some coffee." Booth stretched before heading towards the kitchen, and Brennan couldn't help but appreciate his body structure.

**-----**

She headed into the kitchen of Booth's apartment wrapped in a sheet, considering her clothes were nowhere to be found, at least not in the bedroom. She didn't miss the way Booth's eyes raked over her figure as she entered.

"Here." He handed her a cup of coffee. She took a sip and leaned against the counter, the cup in one hand and holding the sheet closed with the other.

Booth tousled her hair and took a few sips of his coffee. "My head is pounding. How about yours?"

She nodded. "Slightly."

"Well," Booth let out a long sigh. "I must've done a few too many shots after you."

Brennan was still trying to get a handle on the situation. She looked over at Booth, gripping the sheet tighter around herself. "Will last night change our interactions at work today? Because I believe sex is just sex. A basic human need to be fulfilled, nothing more."

Booth blinked and seemed a bit taken aback. But Brennan didn't notice his reaction to her words. "Straight to the point, huh Bones? Let's not cut any corners." Booth set down his cup and headed for the bedroom. "Work will be work. Same as always."

Brennan sighed in relief, relaxing. "I concur." Although she still had no memory from last night, she was certain that it would have no effect on her partnership.

*********

**A/N: **

**Foolish, foolish Bones.**

**Poor Booth.**

**Please R&R.**

**More details of that fated night to come. *wink wink***


	3. Case: The Body in the Basement

Disclaimer:** Bones originally belongs to Kathy Reichs, but is currently under the great care of Fox, Hart, Deschanel, and Boreanaz.**

**Reviews? Please? **

**I'll write without 'em but just thought I'd ask : )**

**------**

"Sweetie!" Angela called, taking in the sight of her friend. "You've got a glow."

"I don't know what that means." Brennan said, sweeping past Angela and heading towards her office.

"It means that you had well-deserved fun last night." Angela grinned. "I always say that you work too hard." She gave Brennan a conspiratorial wink. "So, who was the lucky guy?"

"No one." Brennan said tersely, hoping to end the discussion. She reached over to turn on her computer.

"Well," Angela pondered. "That means it was definitely someone because generally you have no problem spilling the details."

Brennan shook her head. "This isn't pertinent to work."

Angela laughed. "We don't have a case yet."

"Exactly," Brennan pulled on her lab coat. "Which means I have the time to catch up on identifying some old remains." She stated, tying her hair back.

"Haven't you ever heard of taking a break, sweetie? Taking time to catch your breath, maybe smell the roses." Angela sighed like she was daydreaming.

"I don't see the point." Brennan brushed past Angela on her way out of her office.

"Of course you don't." Angela shook her head, following her friend onto the platform.

And of course, at that exact perfectly timed moment, Booth bursts in through the lab door and says, "Hey! Bones! We've got a case." And the smile he gives her may be lost on its intended recipient, but it certainly isn't lost on her nearly-clairvoyant-about-sexual-relationships friend.

Angela's jaw drops, and she glances between Booth and Brennan.

"No... Way..." Her awe of course isn't lost on Booth, but neither he nor Brennan feel like taking on that topic at this particular moment.

Booth instantly looks away from his partner, and Brennan is obliviously as always.

"Alright." Brennan heads down the stairs of the platform.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Angela rushes after her. "Sweetie..."

Confused as ever, Brennan turns to her friend. "See you later, Ange."

Leaving a stunned Angela on the platform, Brennan follows Booth out the doors of the lab.

**-----**

Booth and Brennan are led by a man in a yellow-hardhat into a dilapidated basement.

"Owner says they were cleaning out the basement, getting ready to sell the house and they found this in the vent behind a set of boxes."

There was a body stuffed into the vent. Brennan bent down with her flashlight and examined the remains.

"What can you tell me, Bones?" Booth asks.

"Woman between the ages of 24 and 28. From the looks of it I'd say she's been dead at least six weeks." Brennan squints at the remains, gloved hands touching the bones. "Both wrists have distal fractures consistent with being hung, like this, for hours." Brennan gestures being hung by the wrists, by holding her arms straight up over her head.

Booth makes a face, grimacing the way he does whenever the deaths are particularly gruesome. "So, someone tortured the victim?"

Brennan nodded and stood, done with her initial survey of the bones. "It would appear so."

This is the part of the episode where Booth would say something quippy and it would go right over Brennan's head. But since the shift in their partnership, instead Booth caught Brennan's eye and she looked away quickly before she could get lost in its depths.

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**A/N: Cue Song.**

**Details of "that night" didn't quite make it into this chapter, what with the case and all, but don't fret, it will work its way into the next installment.**

**Sorry for the tense changing, I'll be more careful with that next time. **


	4. Forensics and Flashes

Disclaimer:** Bones originally belongs to Kathy Reichs, but is currently under the great care of Fox, Hart, Deschanel, and Boreanaz.**

**Reviews? Please? **

**I'll write without 'em but just thought I'd ask : )**

**Thanks for your patience! **

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The bones were on an examining table on top of the forensic platform. Cam, Daisy, and Brennan circled the bones, examining the latest murder victim. Hodgins stood nearby waiting to take particulates.

"So our victim was hung and tortured?" Cam asked, shaking her head. She was obviously appalled by the idea.

Brennan nodded. "Yes, hence the distal fractures on both her wrists. There's some damage to the clavicle on both sides as well." She squinted at the bones, making her observations and pointing them out to her assistant.

"There's damage to the ilium here, as if she fell from quite high up and landed on her side without being able to break her fall." Brennan continued to iterate.

The card-swiping device beeped and Angela came up onto the platform. "I found our victim in the missing persons database." She brought the victim's picture up on the computer monitor. "Alison Dower, 26. She went missing two months ago."

"That's consistent with my findings." Brennan added.

"So, this is our victim." Angela said. "Do you really think it's a serial killing?" She grimaced, disgusted by the idea.

"Booth is checking open serial murder files." Brennan offered by way of explanation.

Angela shuddered. "Just what we need. Another serial killer case."

"Unfortunately there are a lot of those cases out there." Cam said, snapping off her gloves.

"Can I remove what's left of the flesh from the body?" Daisy asked excitedly, clearly not affected by the topic at hand.

Cam gave her a look. "Let Hodgins see if he can gather any particulates first, then have at it."

Booth appeared at the bottom of the forensic platform. "What've you got, Bones?"

"Identity." She stated, snapping off her gloves and letting the rest of the squints take care of the body.

Angela glanced knowingly between the two partners.

"Great. I've got another agent working on finding the open serial killer cases. Let's go question the family." Booth was geared up for the case.

"Sure." Brennan said, heading towards her office. She threw down her lab coat and replaced it with her tan trench coat.

As they headed out of the lab together Angela couldn't help but shouting something after them.

"Don't get too cozy on the ride there you two!"

Neither partner looked at the other as they headed out of the lab.

**----**

Brennan sat with the laptop as Booth drove. They were headed to the victim's house to talk to her family and get some information out of them that would hopefully prove useful.

She scanned through the file on the victim per Booth's request.

"She has a husband, and a son in high school. She was last seen at a PTA meeting." Brennan read.

"Hm, those PTA moms are like sharks." Booth began speculating on the case.

"I don't know what that means." Brennan said.

Booth sighed. "Just bring up the file on the likely killer." He instructed.

"Francis Daily. His victims are generally young woman. It seems there are three previous victims." Brennan read aloud.

Booth chuckled. "I'd kill people too with a name like that."

"This killer seems likely." Brennan pointed out.

"Woah, hey. Let's not jump to conclusions. Right, Bones? Now, we've still gotta question her family, and the people from that PTA meeting." Booth glanced sideways at his partner.

"Watch the road!" Brennan exclaimed.

"I am watching the road! Listen, I'm a great driver!" Booth shouted back.

Brennan glared at Booth, then quickly away, as flashes returned to her from the night before.

_Heated glances, heavy breathing, fevered touches, warm lips on her neck._

"Let's just focus on the case." Booth sighed, breaking Brennan out of her reverie.

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**Next chapter soon to come!**

**sorry about my lacking forensic skills. Im not exactly brennan, recall that nor am I FBI. **


	5. Intercourse Banter

**Disclaimer:** Bones** originally belongs to **Kathy Reichs**, but is currently under the great care of **Fox, Hart, Deschanel,** and** Boreanaz**.**

**Yay for the reviews! Thanky thanky!**

**Glad there's still interest in this story.**

**And thanks for all the story alerts. You guys rock.**

Booth and Brennan sat in the living room of the victim's house, across from her husband and adopted son.

"I'm really sorry Mr. Dower, but I have to ask you a few questions." Booth was, as always, sympathetic.

"No, it's fine." Mr. Dower said solemnly.

"So, were you and your wife having any marital problems?" Booth asked.

The husband shook his head. "No. We were fine. Happily married."

"Uhhuh." Booth nodded. "You notice anything different about your wife the day she disappeared?"

Mr. Dower furrowed his brow. "I don't think so. I came home from work. We all had dinner as a family. Same as usual. Then she headed to her meeting."

"The PTA meeting?" Booth observed the family carefully.

"Uh yeah." The son nodded.

Booth turned to the husband. "You wouldn't happen to have a list of the PTA members?"

"Yeah." Mr. Dower stood. "I'll get it for you."

"Thanks." Booth glanced at the son; as he stood he patted the boy on the shoulder. "You'll be alright."

He and Brennan headed towards the front door.

"You can't promise him that." Brennan whispered heatedly in her partner's ear.

Booth accepted the list of contact information from the husband. "Thanks for your cooperation. I'm sorry for your loss."

Mr. Dower put his arm around his son's shoulders. "Just figure out who did this to my wife."

Booth nodded and both partners headed out the door.

"You can't make promises like that Booth. It's unethical. You have no idea if that child will be all right. He lost his mother." Brennan pointed out angrily.

"Look Bones, the kid was upset. I was just trying to make him feel better. It's a tough time for a kid." Booth explained.

Brennan was fuming. "I know it's a tough time." She slid into the SUV.

Booth buckled his seatbelt.

"Look I'm not going to apologize just because you don't like my tactics." He shrugged, pulling away from the curb.

Brennan sighed, irritated. "Do you think the husband did it?"

"Nah." Booth shook his head. "He seemed genuinely broken up."

"But you always think it's the husband." Brennan countered.

"Well this time I don't, okay Bones?" Booth sighed.

"Perhaps our intercourse last night is interfering with your judgment." Brennan said bluntly.

"My judgment is just fine." Booth argued, a grin spreading across his lips. "Our intercourse?" He turned the full charm of his grin on his partner.

"Just drive." She shoved him.

"Hey! No pushing the driver!" Booth exclaimed, swerving in his lane.

Brennan was clearly annoyed, and for some reason Booth couldn't help but laugh.

**

* * *

**

"I found some iron oxide particulates imbedded in her wrists." Hodgins told Brennan and Booth.

"Rust." Brennan explained.

"Ah, so our victim was hung from rusty chains?" Booth asked.

Hodgins nodded. "It seems likely. I also found Calcium, Silicon, Aluminum, and Iron particulates imbedded in this part of her skull." He pointed to the area. "Common ingredients found in limestone and clay, which is used to make concrete."

"So our victim was hung by rusty chains, fell and hit her head on concrete?" Booth pieced together.

"It's also likely the fall caused the damage on her ilium." Brennan added. "Miss Wick hasn't discovered cause of death from the bones yet."

"I can have Angela run some scenarios through the Angelator." Hodgins offered.

"Yes, nice work Hodgins." Brennan complimented in her usual way.

Booth reached over to brush a strand of hair over Brennan's shoulder, catching Brennan's eye with one of their usual smoldering glances. Hodgins glanced between them. "Right. I'll go get this information over to Angela."

Booth cleared his throat. "And we'll go question the PTA mothers."

"Uhhuh." Hodgins shook his head and walked away.

Brennan was oblivious as always. Booth grabbed her arm to lead her out of the lab.

"C'mon Bones." Booth noticed her shudder slightly at his touch, making his quippy statement dissolve into thoughts of his partner.

**Feedback? **

**Thanks!**

**Fun chapter. I love writing banter.**

**Fixed the son thing. thanks to the reviewer who pointed out my age discrepancies. yes, it was Alison's adoptive son, Kevin. **


	6. Questioning Bones Style

Disclaimer:** Bones originally belongs to Kathy Reichs, but is currently under the great care of Fox, Hart, Deschanel, and Boreanaz.**

**Thanks so much for the reviews and story alerts!**

**Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy!**

**------**

"Alright now when we get there, just let me do all the talking." Booth told Brennan as they drove to the high school.

"I can be quite useful when questioning potential suspects." Brennan argued, pouting slightly.

"Let's face it Bones, I can be devastatingly charming when you're not interrupting me." Booth quipped. "And these are PTA moms, I can use that to my advantage."

Brennan looked confused. "You're going to pry answers from suspects by swaying them with your charm? That's unethical Booth!"

Booth shrugged. "Well look, I got a son, so you know I can relate to them." Booth continued nonchalantly.

"But - " Bones started to rebuke angrily.

Booth sighed. "Just let me do my thing when we get there and you can do yours, you know like...anthropologic stuff."

"That's not the correct use of that term Booth." Brennan reprimanded.

"Look, just let me drive." Booth shrugged and focused on the road.

**----------**

**"**Hello ladies," Booth said, interrupting the PTA meeting. He held up his badge. "FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth, this here is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan. We would like to question you about Alison Dower. She went missing two months ago."

Gasps and murmurs were heard throughout the circle of middle-aged women.

"Alright, there's no need to be alarmed." Booth said, stepping closer to the circle. "Just tell me, were any of you good friends with Mrs. Dower?"

"We were all her friends." A short curly haired woman announced.

"Yes, the PTA is very close." A blond haired woman with perfect teeth replied.

"Although," A dark haired woman pointed out. "Alison did spend most of her time with Becky." All the women murmured in agreement.

"The bear is dressed!" Exclaimed one of the PTA members. All the mothers whispered and laughed amongst themselves.

"What is that, code for something?" Brennan whispered to Booth.

"How should I know? They're mothers." Booth stage-whispered back.

The perfect blond haired-woman walked over, placing her hand on Booth's arm. "Becky is in the lobby, getting refreshments ready." She smiled broadly at Booth.

"Uhhhh thanks." He chuckled awkwardly.

Booth and Brennan exited the gym. "That woman appeared to be hitting on you." Brennan pointed out.

"Thanks Bones." Booth grinned. "I'll be sure to avoid her."

They spotted a curly red haired woman over by the refreshment table. "That must be her." Brennan pointed out.

"Yeah thanks, I got that." Booth shook his head at his partner and pulled out his badge. "Excuse me miss, I've got a few questions for you regarding Alison Dower."

The woman turned, surprised. "Yes, of course."

"You were good friends with Mrs. Dower. When was the last time you saw her?" Booth questioned.

"Uh, about two months ago at a PTA meeting, we were discussing new books for the first and second graders." She fidgeted with her sleeve.

"Did you notice anything different about Mrs. Dower? Was she having any problems? Anything out of the ordinary?"

Brennan glanced over at Booth.

"Had she made any new friends recently, say a dark haired man in his thirties?" Brennan interjected.

"No," the suspect pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Though, I did hear her talking about some guy she met at a coffee shop. Alison was happily married of course, but she couldn't stop raving about how sweet this guy was."

"Did you get a name?" Booth asked.

The suspect furrowed her brow. "...Daily, I think.... Francis Daily."

"And the coffee shop?" Booth pressed.

"Death by Caffeine." She replied quickly. "But that's all I know, I swear. Poor Frank, I hope he's all right."

"Actually we believed she was captured by a serial killer and tortured." Brennan stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh my god." The woman was horror-stricken.

"Bones!" Booth reprimanded.

"Well, she had to know." Brennan was oblivious as always.

"Not like that Bones, with a little tact." Booth said under his breath. He turned to the suspect. "I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for your cooperation. You can head back to the meeting now."

The woman nodded tearfully.

Booth and Brennan headed out to the parking lot. Booth turned to his partner. "I told you not to say anything Bones."

"Well it was the truth!" Brennan objected.

Booth shook his head. "You can't be so blunt with harsh truths, Bones. Most people can't compartmentalize like you."

"I was just trying to help!"

Booth and Brennan climbed into the SUV and pulled away from the school.

"Well next time, ask me before you decide to help." Booth instructed.

"Don't boss me around." Brennan pouted. "You're not this demanding in bed."

Booth made a face. "Let's just focus on the case, shall we."

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Reviews are nice :)**

**Gotta love that banter and plot progression.**

**More details of their nightly romp to come. **


	7. A Handful of Problems

Disclaimer:** Bones originally belongs to Kathy Reichs, but is currently under the great care of Fox, Hart, Deschanel, and Boreanaz.**

**The story alerts, favorites, and reviews are oh-so-nice.**

**Thank you. **

**------**

"It was enjoyable." Brennan smiled.

Booth sputtered. "It was more than enjoyable, Bones. It was great." He cleared his throat.

"Well, it couldn't have been that superior. We were intoxicated after all."

"Don't you remember, Bones?" Booth glanced at his partner. "It was earth shattering." He grinned cockily.

The cab of the SUV was quiet after that as they pulled up to the coffee shop.

"Death by Caffeine, kind of ironic." Booth replaced their serious conversation for their usual banter as the partners went to question their next suspect.

"It's not really ironic, Booth." Brennan corrected as they entered the shop and went towards the counter. The partners made an impressive team, standing side-by-side.

"What can I get you?" The perky barista asked.

Booth pulled out his badge. "The manager."

A few minutes later the manger appeared. She gave the partners free drinks, on the house, and gestured them to a table near the back.

"We'd like to question you about a woman who frequented here, Alison Dower." Booth said as Brennan pushed the picture of their victim across the table.

"Yeah, I remember her. She came in here every morning for her cup of coffee. Always ordered the same thing." The manager messed with her ponytail.

"When was the last time you saw Mrs. Dower?" Booth asked.

"Uhm, a few weeks ago. I don't know. I'm not here every day."

"Well try to remember." Booth pressed.

"Alright. Maybe eight days ago?" The manager continued. "She was here with a man."

"What did the man look like?"

"Dark hair, tall. I don't really remember. But for a week she came here with him." The manager explained.

"Did you notice anything unusual about the man? Did you get a name?" Booth tried to gather as much information as possible.

The manager shook her head. "No. But I did notice his car. He always parked it right on the street out front, which is illegal. I told him to move it, so he wouldn't get a ticket."

"What about the car?" Booth pressed.

"There was a sticker on the side. Like an advertisement for some company. I think it was a mechanic shop." The manager explained.

"What mechanic shop?" Booth was getting impatient.

"Something with an 'H' uh, Henley I think."

Both nodded. "Alright. Thanks for your cooperation."

The manager left to go help out a customer.

Brennan turned to Booth. "Do you think she had anything to do with it?"

Booth shook his head. "No, she barely knew anything." Booth sighed. "This isn't much to go on."

"We should go back to the lab." Brennan said. "Angela can try to track down the mechanic shop."

Booth agreed, and the partners headed out towards the SUV to get back to the Jeffersonian.

**-------**

Booth and Brennan entered the lab. Brennan slid her card through the reader and hurried up the platform, Booth trailing behind.

"Have you figured out cause of death yet?" She asked, pulling on some gloves.

"No," Daisy shook her head. "I'm sorry Dr. Brennan. I've failed you."

Brennan ignored her assistant and picked up the bones to examine them herself. She looked at the victim's ribs.

"See this shadow here?" Brennan pointed out. "Figure out what caused this and we might have cause of death."

"Yes ma'am." Daisy nodded. "Right away."

Booth tried to stifle a laugh. Brennan yanked off her gloves.

"Let's get this information to Angela." She left the platform and hurried off towards her friend's office.

"Oh, Dr. Brennan." Cam stopped the partners in the hallway. "A letter came for you while you were out."

"Have it put in my office." Brennan dismissed.

"I really think you should look at it. It's marked urgent." Cam insisted, handing the envelope over to Brennan.

She sighed and ripped open the envelope. Her eyes scanned the letter and she stopped, her eyes filled with shock.

"The killer has taken Angela." Brennan announced, horror-stricken.

"What?" Booth exclaimed as Cam took the letter from Brennan's hands.

"Oh my god." Cam said.

"When did Angela leave the lab? How did this happen?" Brennan asked angrily. "How did the killer get in here?"

"The lab is secure. He couldn't have taken Angela from here." Cam informed. "I'll try to have Hodgins trace where this letter came from right away. Maybe he can pull some helpful particulates off of it." Cam made a face, like the last thing she wanted to do was tell Hodgins about this.

A distressed Brennan turned to Booth. "We have to figure this out, Booth." She leaned into her partner's shoulder.

"We will, Bones. We will." Booth assured, hugging her tightly.

The squints minus one would have to get their act in gear if they wanted to rescue Angela in time.

**********

**Uhm, comments? Complaints?**


	8. Creep of a Killer and Nice Shot

Disclaimer:** Bones originally belongs to Kathy Reichs, but is currently under the great care of Fox, Hart, Deschanel, and Boreanaz.**

**About the story alerts, favorites, and the ahhmazing reviews--**

**love to you all.**

**

* * *

**

"I found some iron oxide and a paraffinic hydrocarbon base mixed with polyalkylene glycols." Hodgins paced as he rattled off information to Brennan.

"Rust and motor oil." Brennan explained to Booth.

"He's got Angela at the mechanic shop." Booth inferred.

"He? Who's he?" Hodgins was furious with the situation at hand.

"Francis Dailey." Brennan explained. "The same murderer who killed our victim."

Cam came rushing over to Hodgins' workspace. "I've got an address for the mechanic shop." She handed the information over to Booth.

"Well, what're we waiting for?" Hodgins was overly irritated. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Daisy exclaimed, rushing over to the edge of the platform. "I've discovered cause of death." Everyone turned to glare at her.

Daisy hurriedly continued. "Our victim was hit with a tire iron to her ribs, puncturing her lung."

Brennan rushed up the platform to concur with Daisy's findings. "That's correct." She announced. Daisy was beaming, but received no praise from Brennan who was rushing off the forensic platform.

"Come on, let's go." Booth rushed Brennan out of the lab, his hand at the small of her back.

* * *

Angela woke to the sound of chains rattling. Her head felt fuzzy and she couldn't quite get a grasp on her surroundings. She sat up slowly; there was something binding her wrists together tightly. Chains. She gasped and glanced around. Angela was sitting in a car, on top of lift in the middle of a repair shop.

"Hey Sicko! Let me down!" Angela shouted; her voice echoed throughout the shop. She sighed. At least she was in the clear for now, but she had to figure out how to escape before the killer returned.

* * *

The SUV sped down the road. "Shouldn't you have your lights on when we're driving this fast?" Brennan reprimanded.

"Look Bones, don't worry about it, we just gotta get there." Booth focused on the road.

They pulled up to the back of the mechanic shop. Booth got out of the car and readied his gun. "All right just be careful." He instructed Bones.

"I'm always careful, did you bring a gun for me?" Brennan interjected.

"No, you don't need a gun." Booth sputtered, reaching for a handgun anyway and handing it to his partner.

"Thank you Booth." Brennan was ecstatic.

Booth grimaced. "Just don't shoot me." They walked toward the back door of the mechanic shop.

"I only shot you once, after you dropped me on my head." Brennan said defensively.

Booth put his fingers to his lips. "Alright....quiet." The partners walked slowly through the door. Booth went in first, surveying his surroundings of the empty shop.

"How will we know how to find Angela?" Brennan whispered loudly. Booth turned to glare at her. Suddenly they heard a scraping of chains and froze, assuming it was the killer. Booth pointed his gun toward where the noise was coming from and Brennan followed suit. They inched closer toward the source of the noise. Suddenly they heard a shriek, and Angela peered over the side of the car. "Don't shoot!"

"Angela?" Bones exclaimed.

"Sweetie!" Angela replied.

"He's got you chained up." Brennan observed.

Booth lowered his gun. "Don't worry Angela, we'll get you down."

He pointed to a control panel. "Bones go over there and figure out which one lowers the car."

"Well, what are you going to do?" Bones objected.

"I'm going to watch out for the killer." Booth explained.

Brennan rushed over to mess with the controls. Suddenly, the sound of a garage door opening echoed through the shop.

"Hurry up Bones!" Booth stage-whispered. He raised his gun and walked cautiously over to the adjoining garage. Around the corner, Booth could see the killer- tire iron in one hand, rusty chains in the other. "FBI, FREEZE!!!!" But the killer kept about his business.

"Nice weather we're havin'." He said in a creepy southern twang.

"I said freeze!" Booth ordered, gun still raised.

"I got a purty girl to treat real nice." said the creepy killer. "She's a real spitfire that one....would you like to help me?" He smiled at Booth and offered a rusty chain.

"Drop it." Ordered Booth. He could hear the whir of the car-lift.

"I got it Booth!" Brennan exclaimed.

"Great, now just get Angela out of here." Booth turned to instruct his partner.

"But I want to help." Brennan protested, coming up behind Booth with a gun in her hands.

"No, I don't need help." Booth argued, but he was interrupted by the killer.

"Ooh, she's purty too." He stepped forward and swung the tire iron at the unsuspecting Booth, who ducked just in time to get nicked by the heavy metal object.

"Stay down!" Brennan ordered, aiming her gun and firing two shots.

"Ooh, well shooot." The killer exclaimed, his chains and tire iron clamored to the floor as the killer fell backwards, dead.

"Woah, nice shot Bones." Booth said, steadying himself by gripping his partner's shoulder.

"He hit you." Brennan said by way of explanation, glancing at the wound on Booth's head.

He took the gun from Brennan tight grasp. "Let's get out of here." Booth said.

"Geez, Bren!" Angela said, glancing down at the body.

The three of them walked outside where the FBI backup and paramedics were waiting. The paramedics removed the chains from Angela's wrists. Once she was free, Angela hugged Brennan tightly out of gratitude. The medics took a look at Booth's head and bandaged it up. Cased closed, the three of them headed back to the Jeffersonian.

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**What did you think?**

**one more chapter to come.**

**Hodgela and BB**


	9. Epilogue: The Scientist's Heart

**Disclaimer:** Bones originally belongs to Kathy Reichs, but is currently under the great care of Fox, Hart, Deschanel, and Boreanaz.

**Alrighty, last chapter in this story folks. Thanks so much for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites. I couldn't do it without 'em. Well... I could, but it would be way less fun!**

**Enjoy!**

**Epilogue:**

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Back at the lab, Angela was gathering her things in her office, ready to leave for the night.

Hodgins appeared at the door. "Hey." He came up to her, placing a hand on her arm.

"Jack." Angela was near a breakdown, she had been since they returned to the Jeffersonian. Hodgins knew what she needed and pulled Angela into a tight embrace. She cried into his shoulder, and he whispered reassurances in her ear. It was obvious that neither one of them would be going home alone that night.

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Brennan was back at Booth's apartment for the evening, against her better judgment. But after a day like today she needed the company, and he had insisted upon his place. She stared into her glass of whiskey and took a sip.

"Alright there, Bones?" Booth sat down next to her on the couch.

She glanced into his eyes. "Fine. Just thinking." She was thinking about how Angela could've been killed if they hadn't gotten there in time. And she was thinking about how the tire-iron the killer had been wielding could've cracked Booth's skull, had he not ducked in time. If Booth hadn't armed her, the killer could've swung at Booth again, and he could be in the hospital or worse. She shook her head for allowing such silly suppositions to unnerve her, for after all, Angela was fine as was Booth. She felt Booth's warm fingers graze her cheek.

"You're crying, Bones." Booth said softly. He wrapped his arms around her and she could feel the vibrations of his chest as he spoke reassurances. "Hey, what you did was right. It's alright."

Brennan regained herself quickly and sat back, setting down her glass. "I don't remember last night all that well."

Booth was, of course, surprised by the random change of topic. "What?"

"Our drunken intercourse seems to have been compartmentalized in my mind, sort of like a compartmentalized sexual amnesia. Not that any such thing exists." Brennan explained.

"Woah, woah, wait." Booth gazed directly into her eyes. "You don't remember that out-of-this-world night we had?"

Brennan shook her head slowly.

Booth thought things through. Although he knew his partner wasn't vulnerable, far from it actually, she had been just a few moments ago. He knew what it was like to shoot someone, even if you were doing it for someone you loved. Even if they were going to kill, it was still a difficult thing to do. Booth, being the good man he was, made a decision for the both of them.

"Look Bones, you're welcome to stay here tonight." Booth began.

Brennan scoffed. "I'm not nearly drunk enough for that."

Booth gave her a look, and Brennan stopped, focusing on her partner.

"It's not for that Bones. But you're welcome to share my bed. You're welcome to stay here." He didn't expect her to accept.

Brennan thought it over, and obviously intercourse was not on Booth's mind. So, for lack of a rational reason not to, she decided to accept his offer.

"Alright." She agreed.

"It's okay. I'll see you at work tomorrow." Booth hadn't even listened, but then it dawned on him. "Alright?"

Brennan nodded, a smile crossing her lips. "Yes."

Booth's grin couldn't have possibly been any wider. He headed towards the bedroom, and she followed.

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Every action has an equal and opposite reaction- Newton's third law of motion. Perhaps that's why the previous night Booth and Brennan had made love in a drunken stupor. Or perhaps, it was fate. At least one of them believed in that sort of thing. But then what had drawn them in the same bedroom this night? Was it friendship? Or loyalty? Fate? Or Partnership? There were a lot of unknowns lurking beneath the surface of this situation, but there was one constant: There was love blossoming in the heart of the scientist that night. And her partner felt it in the way she touched him, trusted him, and relied on him. Even if it was just for that evening, Brennan had given herself over to Booth entirely. And no, not in intercourse. But in a way that she had never fully trusted anyone before. Because for a night, she trusted him not to abandon her. For that night, Brennan trusted Booth with her heart.

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**A/N: Thanks for taking this journey with me. Reviews are appreciated, and please feel free to check out my next two endeavors, to be worked on simultaneously **Tony and Roxy Experiments **and **Brennan's in Denial.


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